Campaign of the Month:
June 2012

Crimson Skies

Dorak - The Mysterious Foe

Well, here’s the thing about Gran Rio – there’s someone with a magical bent who is helping the goblins, there is someone with a magical bent who is sneaking around at night, and there’s a lot of ill will between members of the Council of Elders.

The most obvious possible ally to goblins and traitor to the town is Don Rodrigo, who is likely to be the new mayor with the passing of the old mayor. However, he’s an aristocrat, and has no obvious skill in the arcane (or divine) arts, and the goblins have had mystical aid, which is unusual from that race.

Santos, a wizard, is the next likely for means but less likely for motive. I dislike him – though it may be that his assistant is simply a tool – but I don’t dislike him as much as the next likely culprit. Of course, his assistant could also have means to help aid the vile goblin horde.

Walercia Zambrano, and her husband, are more likely from an attitude perspective, but I don’t know that Korak would give me the gift of the villain being someone I dislike so intensely. Still, she had an air of the arcane about her, and Smriti said that she and her husband exchanged a look in regards to news of Sir Colin. He’s the Dock Master, so the raids on the Docks could be a way for him to get the support that he needs for some project or plan of his.

Cierra, a Manciple of Anwyn, is unlikely from one perspective but is just so bloody thick that she either is under a curse of some sort, was damaged at an early age, or is hiding something. Possibly some combination. She has some divine spell casting capability, though the conflagration that engulfed one of the defenders of the town appears to be beyond her capabilities. I don’t know, and I’d have to defer to Iz’Alma or Coatl.

There is Thialgo the fisher – who is unlikely – and his son Fialgo – who may be more likely to have some plan to avenge the humiliation of his father. I don’t know either is skilled in the arcane arts.

As previously mentioned, someone is haunting the constable’s office, and that someone has the means to turn invisible. I don’t know much about arcane and divine casting, but that seems more like an arcane thing to me.

When I next see Coatl, I’ll ask him what he knows of it. I rate this figure as unlikely overall because he was likely trusted by the constable with secrets and keys and that’s not something (it seems) that the council members were all trusted to have.

Fuerte, a dwarven smith, is sensible and focused on his work. He doesn’t seem like the sort to engage in politics, which suggests he’s a good one on the council from a motive perspective, but his impatience with the drama of his human cohorts may hinder his political effectiveness. Still, unlikely to have a dwarf aid a goblin anymore than a goblin would aid a dwarf. He could have used intermediaries, but to what end? To drive up the demand for his armor and weapons? Perhaps.

There is a group of thugs, and they are likely the intermediaries for whomever is organizing all this. They did not seem the sort to have wiles to organize and plan such a thing, and I believe they are more of an effect of this plan than the cause.

There is also the Mayor’s aide and the late mayor’s (much younger) wife. A scheme between them? She seems distraught enough that it is unlikely but that does not prevent him from assuming her glances and friendship mean more and possibly trying to remove an obstacle, even if it is a friend from his youth.

There is the Vizcondesa but what does she gain? It seems likely that anyone who may have to pay for additional guards, repairs and fortifications would be disinclined to attack the town, but there may be a motivation there.

That leaves us with the friends of the late mayor, such as Sir Colin. César and Eufémia are possibly the figure in the constable’s office – while I have no knack for the arcane, I understand one has some and the other could, so they may be staying behind, investigating, as the pleas for aide against goblins don’t ring true the longer you spend in town.

Donato and Alejandra are less likely – Alejandra may have the ability to turn invisible, but I find it less likely she’d be the figure in the constable’s office, and I doubt Donato has the flexibility of purpose to not seek help nor the means to turn invisible. I could be mistaken on both counts, but again, they are not likely the traitor.

Well, that’s the best I can figure of what’s going on in this hamlet. I’ll let you know more when I know more… we’re off to talk to Santos shortly, so hopefully that bears some fruit.